Career and Education Opportunities for Substance Abuse Specialists in Bellevue, Washington

There is a wide variety of career and education opportunities for substance abuse specialists in the Bellevue, Washington area. There are currently 2,260 working substance abuse specialists in Washington; this should grow by 25% to about 2,820 working substance abuse specialists in the state by 2016. This is better than the nation as a whole, where employment opportunities for substance abuse specialists are expected to grow by about 21.0%. Substance abuse specialists generally counsel and advise individuals with alcohol, tobacco, or other problems, such as gambling and eating disorders.

The income of a substance abuse specialist is about $16 hourly or $34,050 per year on average in Washington. In the U.S. as a whole, their income is about $17 per hour or $37,030 per year on average. Incomes for substance abuse specialists are not quite as good as in the overall category of Counseling and Therapy in Washington, and not quite as good as the overall Counseling and Therapy category nationally. Jobs in this field include: clinician, certified chemical dependency counselor, and treatment counselor.

There are sixty-four schools of higher education in the Bellevue area, including nine within twenty-five miles of Bellevue where you can get a degree to start your career as a substance abuse specialist. Given that the most common education level for substance abuse specialists is a Master's degree, you can expect to spend about six years studying to be a substance abuse specialist if you already have a high school diploma, or just 2 years if you have a Bachelor's degree.

CAREER DESCRIPTION: Substance Abuse Specialist

Substance Abuse Specialist video from the State of New Jersey Dept. of Labor and Workforce Development

In general, substance abuse specialists counsel and advise individuals with alcohol, tobacco, or other problems, such as gambling and eating disorders. They also may counsel individuals, families, or groups or engage in prevention programs.

Substance abuse specialists attend training sessions to increase knowledge and skills. They also participate in case conferences and staff meetings. Equally important, substance abuse specialists have to furnish clients or family members with data related to addiction issues and about available services and programs, making appropriate referrals when needed. They are often called upon to counsel clients and patients, individually and in group sessions, to help in overcoming dependencies, adjusting to life, and making changes. They are expected to intervene as an advocate for clients or patients to deal with emergency problems in crisis situations. Finally, substance abuse specialists direct efforts with courts, probation officers, community services and other post-treatment agencies.

Every day, substance abuse specialists are expected to be able to articulate ideas and problems. It is also important that they listen to and understand others in meetings.

It is important for substance abuse specialists to act as liaisons between clients and medical staff. They are often called upon to conduct chemical dependency program orientation sessions. They also formulate and implement follow-up and aftercare programs for clients to be discharged from treatment programs. They are sometimes expected to instruct others in program methods and functions. Somewhat less frequently, substance abuse specialists are also expected to participate in case conferences and staff meetings.

and complete and maintain accurate records and reports regarding the patients' histories and progress and other required data. And finally, they sometimes have to direct efforts with courts, probation officers, community services and other post-treatment agencies.

Like many other jobs, substance abuse specialists must have exceptional integrity and have a strong concern for others.

Similar jobs with educational opportunities in Bellevue include:

Career Advisor. Counsel individuals and provide group educational and vocational guidance services.

Child and Family Services Worker. Provide social services and assistance to improve the social and psychological functioning of children and their families and to maximize the family well-being and the academic functioning of children. May assist single parents, arrange adoptions, and find foster homes for abandoned or abused children. In schools, they address such problems as teenage pregnancy, misbehavior, and truancy. May also advise teachers on how to deal with problem children.

Health Education Specialist. Promote, maintain, and improve individual and community health by assisting individuals and communities to adopt healthy behaviors. Collect and analyze data to identify community needs prior to planning, implementing, and evaluating programs designed to encourage healthy lifestyles, policies and environments. May also serve as a resource to assist individuals, other professionals, or the community, and may administer fiscal resources for health education programs.

Marriage and Family Therapist. Diagnose and treat mental and emotional disorders, whether cognitive, or behavioral, within the context of marriage and family systems. Apply psychotherapeutic and family systems theories and techniques in the delivery of professional services to individuals, couples, and families for the purpose of treating such diagnosed nervous and mental disorders.

Mental Health Counselor. Counsel with emphasis on prevention. Work with individuals and groups to promote optimum mental health. May help individuals deal with addictions and substance abuse; family, parenting, and marital problems; suicide; stress management; problems with self-esteem; and issues associated with aging and mental and emotional health.

Rehabilitation Counselor. Counsel individuals to maximize the independence and employability of persons coping with personal, social, and vocational difficulties that result from birth defects, illness, or the stress of daily life. Coordinate activities for residents of care and treatment facilities. Assess client needs and design and implement rehabilitation programs that may include personal and vocational counseling, training, and job placement.

Social Services Assistant. Assist professionals from a wide variety of fields, such as psychology, rehabilitation, or social work, to provide client services, as well as support for families. May assist clients in identifying available benefits and social and community services and help clients obtain them. May assist social workers with developing, organizing, and conducting programs to prevent and resolve problems relevant to substance abuse, human relationships, or adult daycare.

EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES: Substance Abuse Specialist Training

Seattle Community College-Central Campus - Seattle, WA

Seattle Community College-Central Campus, 1701 Broadway Avenue, Seattle, WA 98122. Seattle Community College-Central Campus is a medium sized college located in Seattle, Washington. It is a public school with primarily 2-year programs and has 7,402 students. Seattle Community College-Central Campus has 2 areas of study related to Substance Abuse Specialist. They are:

Substance Abuse/Addiction Counseling, one to two year which graduated 11 students in 2008.

Pierce College at Fort Steilacoom, 9401 Farwest Dr SW, Lakewood, WA 98498-1999. Pierce College at Fort Steilacoom is a medium sized college located in Lakewood, Washington. It is a public school with primarily 2-year programs and has 6,632 students. Pierce College at Fort Steilacoom has a less than one year and an associate's degree program in Substance Abuse/Addiction Counseling which graduated four and two students respectively in 2008.

Highline Community College - Des Moines, WA

Highline Community College, 2400 S 240th St, Des Moines, WA 98198-9800. Highline Community College is a medium sized college located in Des Moines, Washington. It is a public school with primarily 2-year programs and has 6,267 students. Highline Community College has 2 areas of study related to Substance Abuse Specialist. They are:

Mental & Social Health Services & Allied Professions, Other Specialties, less than one year and associate's degree which graduated six and thirteen students respectively in 2008.

Clover Park Technical College - Lakewood, WA

Clover Park Technical College, 4500 Steilacoom Blvd SW, Lakewood, WA 98499-4004. Clover Park Technical College is a medium sized college located in Lakewood, Washington. It is a public school with primarily 2-year programs and has 3,781 students. Clover Park Technical College has 2 areas of study related to Substance Abuse Specialist. They are:

Substance Abuse/Addiction Counseling, less than one year and associate's degree which graduated three and one students respectively in 2008.

Bellevue College, 3000 Landerholm Cir SE, Bellevue, WA 98007-6484. Bellevue College is a large college located in Bellevue, Washington. It is a public school with primarily 4-year or above programs and has 11,748 students. Bellevue College has a one to two year program in Substance Abuse/Addiction Counseling which graduated ten students in 2008.

Tacoma Community College - Tacoma, WA

Tacoma Community College, 6501 S 19th St, Tacoma, WA 98466-6100. Tacoma Community College is a medium sized college located in Tacoma, Washington. It is a public school with primarily 2-year programs and has 5,942 students. Tacoma Community College has a less than one year and an associate's degree program in Mental & Social Health Services & Allied Professions, Other Specialties which graduated twenty-seven and twenty students respectively in 2008.

Lake Washington Technical College - Kirkland, WA

Lake Washington Technical College, 11605 132nd Ave NE, Kirkland, WA 98034-8506. Lake Washington Technical College is a small college located in Kirkland, Washington. It is a public school with primarily 2-year programs and has 3,010 students. Lake Washington Technical College has a one to two year and an associate's degree program in Mental & Social Health Services & Allied Professions, Other Specialties which graduated five and eight students respectively in 2008.

Olympic College - Bremerton, WA

Olympic College, 1600 Chester Ave, Bremerton, WA 98337-1699. Olympic College is a medium sized college located in Bremerton, Washington. It is a public school with primarily 4-year or above programs and has 6,596 students. Olympic College has a one to two year program in Substance Abuse/Addiction Counseling which graduated two students in 2008.

Edmonds Community College - Lynnwood, WA

Edmonds Community College, 20000 68th Ave W, Lynnwood, WA 98036-5912. Edmonds Community College is a medium sized college located in Lynnwood, Washington. It is a public school with primarily 2-year programs and has 7,823 students. Edmonds Community College has 2 areas of study related to Substance Abuse Specialist. They are:

Substance Abuse/Addiction Counseling, one to two year and associate's degree which graduated four and four students respectively in 2008.

Mental & Social Health Services & Allied Professions, Other Specialties, less than one year, one to two year, and associate's degree which graduated four, six, and two students respectively in 2008.

CERTIFICATIONS

Distance Credentialed counselor:
A Distance Credentialed Counselor (DCC) will be nationally recognized as a professional with training in best practices in Distance Counseling.

LOCATION INFORMATION: Bellevue, Washington

Bellevue, Washington photo by Jelson25

Bellevue is located in King County, Washington. It has a population of over 123,771, which has grown by 13.0% in the past ten years. The cost of living index in Bellevue, 128, is far greater than the national average. New single-family homes in Bellevue are valued at $475,200 on average, which is far greater than the state average. In 2008, one hundred thirteen new homes were built in Bellevue, down from one hundred sixty-five the previous year.

The top three industries for women in Bellevue are health care, professional, scientific, and technical services, and educational services. For men, it is professional, scientific, and technical services, transportation equipment, and construction. The average commute to work is about 22 minutes. More than 54.1% of Bellevue residents have a bachelor's degree, which is higher than the state average. The percentage of residents with a graduate degree, 19.4%, is higher than the state average.

The unemployment rate in Bellevue is 7.2%, which is less than Washington's average of 8.7%.

The percentage of Bellevue residents that are affiliated with a religious congregation, 37.3%, is less than the national average but more than the state average. The most prominent religious groups are the Catholic Church, the LDS (Mormon) Church and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.

Bellevue is home to the Sunset Plaza and the Eastgate Plaza as well as Killarney Glen Park and Coal Creek Park. Shopping malls in the area include Hillfair Shopping Center, Lake Hills Shopping Center and Crossroads Shopping Center. Visitors to Bellevue can choose from Bedynamic Inc, Fairfield Inn Seattle-Bellevue and Bellevue Travelodge for temporary stays in the area.